The Week That Was | NBA Playoffs Preview & Recap

The NBA Playoffs landscape has reached the final 4 as in the Eastern Conference Finals two rivals collide as the Indiana Pacers faces the New York Knicks for the chance to reach the NBA Finals. In the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder faces the Minnesota Timberwolves for the opportunity to reach the NBA Finals. The path to the Eastern Conference Finals for the Indiana Pacers was a swift one eliminating the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Meanwhile the New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals by dethroning the defending champion Boston Celtics in 6 games reaching the NBA Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 when they faced the Pacers. The Boston Celtics were a team that may be on its last legs because Jayson Tatum got injured and may be out next season. Al Horford and Jrue Holiday are older players so where do they go from here as an organization only time will tell. The Boston Celtics only won 1 championship with this nucleus plus there may be no more dynasties in the NBA because for the 7th consecutive season there will be a different team winning a NBA championship. The last team to repeat as champions in the NBA was the 2018 Golden State Warriors when they had Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. There is so much parity in the NBA that anybody can win the championship.

Oklahoma City Thunder may have the opportunity to be a dynastic team with their youthful team. Shai Gilgeous Alexander who won the league MVP is in his prime along with Chet Holmgren and Jalin Williams this trio can be part of that caliber but only time will tell. With Shai Gilgeous Alexander winning the league MVP this season, for the 7th consecutive season a foreign born player in the NBA has won an MVP representing the continuation of the dominance of the international players dominating the aspect of the league when you look at Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous Alexander you can make the case these are the Top 4 players in the NBA currently.

The last American born player to win league MVP was James Harden when he was with the Houston Rockets in 2018. Since 2019 the influx of the international players in the NBA have won the MVP Award starting with Giannis Antetokounmpo who won the Award in 2019 and 2020 then it was Nikola Jokic winning it from 2021 to 2022. Then in 2023, it was Joel Embiid and in 2024 it Jokic winning the MVP again for the third time in 4 years. Why the dominance of the international players in the NBA? Is that they are fundamentally sound players than the American NBA players or is the fascination of being Stephen Curry and relying too much on the 3-point shot then develop a post move or a mid range jump shot or lack of scoring in the paint from an interior standpoint.

Whatever it is the international NBA player has dominated with the best players coming from foreign soil. What can the American born NBA player do to turn back the clock to be the best players once again like they did in yesteryear: Develop a post game, stay in college to develop their game forfeit the fascination of the NIL money deals and work on their game fundamentally.

Develop a mid range jump shot, more big men must rely on the inside game rather than the 3-point shot. There is only one Stephen Curry and no one can duplicate his unlimited range from the 3-point arc. Elimination of the 3-point shot and reliability on the perimeter and scoring inside the paint. More ball movement no isolation playing one on five and being a willing passer.